The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-03-31

horseback was always too strong q
temptation for his prudent resolves.
Aride, long, swift. glorious ride owe
sandy levels; between brown bluffs;
past an occasional farm house, where
stacks stand yellow and tall; through
rafting skeletons of thickets and shall
low sweeps of water; up. down. and
across, until the patriarch of the herds
starts up before them. The cattle he
has been lying among scatter out lazily.
but old Abe meets his foes with the
glare Of a gladiator.
A fierce brute he is, and strong.
Look at his wide horns. circ'ed with
the rings of many years; at the power
full muscles showing beneath his tawny
hide, and the long limbs that have
crushed through many a strong in
| closure. Nothing about him tells of
ownership; there is neither cut on his
ears or scar on his hide. No roundup
could gather him in, nor corral secure
him; therefore, a convention of "cow
punchers" suggested general action
against the outlaw, and, the words were
uttered at a time when any diversion
was welcome. To mortals condemned
to the endless solitude and soul wearing
monotony Of those vast level plains,
the time must come when even a
shooting scrape is hailed with glad re-
| lief.
THAR he is boys" shouts Tom
| Jenkins. THAR! Ketch him and he's
your'n.
"a devil prise at the best; but here
goes" muttered Thompson, pushing
forward with the boy beside him.
HIP The dogs are at him, with barks
that become yelps as the brindle gives
them a taste of his heels. Down the
valley, over the uplands and the dry
creek bottoms, away they go, in a
noisy race against the crisp west wind.
a tornado of Gathering hoofs, jingling
spurs and loose trappings. The sun
beats hot upon them, the dust flies up
from the plain. One by one the dogs
sneak off to the rear, the ponies flag;
yet old Abe is as fresh for a break of a
mile or SO, as ready for a savage dash
at a timid horse or rider.
"Give it up. He amt with it" cry
the weaker spirits, drawing rein upon
a hill, the defiant brute eyeing them
from a safe distance.
do ez you please" growled Long
Jake, ''but eff you fellers quit I won't,
that's all"
Neither will I,"put in Jimmy, look
ing foolish, as a laugh was raised this
expense. because a square look at
you would scare him to death any
day." He turned away, glad to have
avenged his former defeat. That readi-
ness of tongue which others laughed at
and passed over in the boy angered the
herder unaccountably. Besides, he felt
sore at the failure of his boast to cap
ture the prize in an hour.
..Come on boys" proposed jenkins.
"My camps just around the bend. If
we can run him into the big stone COR
raj we've got him, sure; if not let's
stop and take o fresh start in the morn
ing"
"AIl right" chorused the others.
Look yere, Jimmy, "said Al Thomp-
son, as their two horses trotted down
the slope together, ..you jes' take my
advice an let Jake alone. It's precious
easy to git him hot, an they say he
killed a man down on the Divide"
20, give US a rest, I amt afraid.
Why does he keep trying to rifle me
all the time just because I'm a boy.
It's too mean"
Go ahead, then. You're pretty
smart, Jim Rowell, but I tell you it
don't do no Teller good to be too
smart; mebbe you'll find it out some
day."
The second chase proved no more
successful than the first. Cunning Old
Abe put in his s'best ticks" for their
enlightenment, and when they gave il
up still seemed unwearied. Tom
sprang from his horse to do the honors
of his residence.
"'Light, gentlemen, light and make
yourselves at home. Things is a little
out of order, consequent on the missus
not having got back from Saratogy,
but you'll find the mornin' papers in
the lib'ry. The key of the pianer's or
the bureau in my dressin' room. E
you like, take turns in admirin' the
scenery. the long shadders of the chick
ems fallin' to the BASTARD, an the
kingly rooster as he glides forth from
the barn."
The mansion whose hospitality wa
offered in this grandiloquent style wa
an extremely scaly-looking dug-out
} probably measuring ten by twelve feet
Outside inspection revealed on
small door and a window, a variegatet
supply of oyster-cans, barrels, and no
: a few empty bottles-which last, how
t ever, were modestly disposed in tn
background. A broom had been places
outside, as if for display, but a donke.
at a distance was solemnly making
meal of it. A small flock of emaciate'
, chickens gathered expectantly in vain
!. for Tom had the masculine habit Q
neglecting his chickens. Two thrifty
, looking objects redeemed the appear
anc of his ranches fine barn and
corral with high stone walls. Yet h
r was a lord of many herds, who Nigh
It drive in his carriage if he pleased.
r Without further study of this bache
lor's hall, we will follow the herders a
they make for the well, tired, thirsty
yet good-natured-all but Jake, VIII
finds Jim dealing out water with a ii
cup, the only one at hand. His scov
deepened a tri1e with impotence.
d Here, AL" said Jim, looking frol
Jake to Thompson, who stood besid
n him, 'age before beauty"
IS The al answering smiles stung the DO
t der vagabond. S%natching the cup an
fiinging the contents full in Jim's fac
CLEAR yourself, you young scamp!
d he ordered.
Flushing savagely the boy caugl
something from his side, but Thom]
lie sons powerful hand was on his arm.
ID ssWhat do Won mean, YOU little foolp